Srinivasa Hatcheries Founder passes away

Chitturi Jagapati Rao, Founder of Srinivasa Hatcheries, and one of the founders of National Egg Co-ordination Committee (NECC)

Chitturi Jagapati Rao (CJ Rao), 92, was among the few poultry farmers who helped the sector become organised. Rao, who founded Srinivasa Farms in 1965, was instrumental in establishing the National Egg Co-ordination Committee (NECC). This industry organisation promoted egg production by introducing uniform pricing and promoting consumption across the country.

Born into a farmer’s family in Kulla of East Godavari District in Andhra Pradesh, he was also a member of the International Egg Commission (IEC).

Starting as a small poultry farm in Uppal, Hyderabad, he transformed Srinivasa Hatcheries into a modern farm.

When CJ Rao launched his poultry business, he had to start it from scratch, lacking significant prior experience, expertise, or resources to navigate the complexities of this new venture. The inherent risks of a livestock business, with its numerous threats, deterred anyone considering entering the poultry industry.

To help poultry farmers aggregate their produce, he set up an ‘Egg Bank’ which helped them market eggs easily.

He later joined B V Rao (the founder of Venkateshwara Hatcheries) to give the poultry sector a big push and protect farmers’ interests. The duo also set up Agrocorpex in 1983 in Vijayawada to buy eggs directly from the poultry farmers and market them at the market centres.

They also established the Poultry Development and Promotion Council (PDPC) to help farmers control diseases and take precautionary measures.

Published on November 30, 2025